Chase brings tech-aided banking format to New Haven

Chase isn’t just relying on teller windows it’s putting tech in the hands of their customers and bankers, who wander the floor in their newest branches like sales associates working retail.

Some have even said Chase has co-opted the Apple Store model for its latest, tech-infused, branches, the first of which opened in Connecticut in New Haven on 149 Amity Road. Those of us in the Mines who are a little older immediately hoped that the new kiosks use HAL like voices when you use them and ask, “What are you doing?”*

“We’ve spent the last few months meeting folks in the community and preparing for the Amity Road location, so we’re thrilled to be officially opening our doors,” said Matthew Cummings, Chase Woodbridge Branch Manager. “Our new build branch format is all about choice – offering customers face-to-face assistance from bankers, or electronic and paperless options to conduct transactions.”

Besides bankers with tablets, the new branch features self-service kiosks providing ATM-like services with check cashing, custom denomination withdrawals, credit card bill pay, prepaid cards and money orders. The kiosks are reminiscent of airline kiosks you see at airports. If Chase’s kiosks don’t require every customer to flag down a banker for assistance, the bank will be doing better than the airlines.

The new branch is the 52nd Chase branch in the state. Eight employees were hired for it and they will staff the branch from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday with additional hours on Saturday.

*Reference is to 2001 A Space Odyssey.
An earlier version of this post mistakenly said Chase was going teller-less. That’s not the case the bank still has tellers and teller windows. The Mines regrets the error.